Tamper for cigarette machine feeds



May 22, 1934.

FIG. 2A

FIGLI G. w. GwlNN 1,959,916

A TAMPER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINE FEEDS Filed March 2l, 1933 ATTORN EY Patented May 221, 1934 TAMPER.l FOR CIGARETTE MACHINE FEED-S George W. Gwinn, Hewlett, N. Y., assigner to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 21, 1933, serial No. 661,939

3 Claims.l

This invention relates to an improvement in cigarette machine feeds, its main object being to provide improved means for tamping thetobacco homogeneously on the carded feed drum,

5 thereby permitting the latter to deliver a uniform shower of tobacco to the feed chute situated over the travelling wrapper strip.

In previous cigarette machine feeds the tobacco tamping or compacting device consisted of a plurality of weights or tampers which intermittently rested on the mass of tobacco on the feed drum, and compacted it to a uniform density. However, the weights in the prior devices were periodically lifted from the tobacco thus releasing the pressure on the same, and allowing the compressed tobacco, because of its springy or resilient nature, to expand, thereby obtaining an uneven density of tobacco between the pins of the feed drum. Furthermore, this intermittent compressing action on the tobacco resulted in an unbalanced cigarette rod, the rod being of a hard nature Where the tobacco was compressed, and of a soft nature Where the tobacco Was left unpressed.

In the present invention this condition is overcome by alternately lifting a plurality of spaced tampers from the tobacco, simultaneously With the descending of a corresponding number of spaced tampers on the tobacco. Thus, there is always some pressure on the tobacco, and the portions of the tobacco, which are now compressed,

tend, due to the stringy nature of tobacco, to

keep the adjacent portions of the tobacco in a compressed state. In this manner a uniform 3 5 density of the tobacco between the pins of the feed drum is always induced, thus producing a cigarette rod of uniform density. With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view the invention consists in certain constructions 40 and combinations hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and in which like char- '45 acters of reference indicate the same vor like parts:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of the tobacco feed showing the location of the improved tamping device; and

' 50 Fig. 2 is a partial end view of the same, show- 65 means for oscillating alternate tampers in opposite directions to press a mass of tobacco on the feed drum and thereby induce uniform density of the tobacco between the pins of the feed drum. In the best constructions contemplated said means includes an oscillating shaft, a sleeve fixed on said shaft, and chain sections connecting said sleeve and tampers, alternate` chain sections being secured to one side of said sleeve and the remaining chain sections being secured to the other side of said sleeve. These various means and parts may be Widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the specific construction shown and described.

The improved cigarette machine feed consists of a hopper 10 which is supported by side frames 11 carried on pedestals of the cigarette machine. The side frames 11 support brackets 12 carrying cross shafts 13 and 14, a bracket 15 supporting a cross shaft 16 and a stud 41'7, and bearings 18 supporting a cross shaft 19. The main drive gear of the machine (not shown) drives a gear 20 on shaft 19 meshing with an intermediate gear 21 driving a gear 22 on shaft 13. A sprocket fastened on the main drive shaft of the machine, also not shown, drives a chain 23 running over a sprocket 24, thus actuating ,8 5 a crank lever 25 connected to a gear sector 26 meshing with a gear 27 mounted on shaft 16. The shaft 16 supports a sleeve 28 fixed thereon, which carries a plurality of chain sections 29 connecting it to tampers 30. The latter are fas- '90 tened to projections 31 of hubs 32, the hubs 32 being pivotally mounted on the cross shaft 14. The weights 33 attached to the ends of the tampers 30 rest on the tobacco mass T.

The chain sections 29 are so fastened to the '9,5 sleeve 28, that every second tamper 30 is held in its raised position, While the remaining tampers 30 are in their compressing position. Therefore the rocking motion imparted to the sleeve 28 alternately lifts the Weights 33 on one group of tampers, and simultaneously allows the weights on the other group to descend on the tobacco mass T. Thus the compressed portions of the tobacco keeps, due to the stringy interlocking nature of tobacco, the portions left unpressed ,X10 by the raising of the Compactors, in a compressed state. In this manner, the tobacco is always fed at a homogeneous density, thereby inducing a uniform density of tobacco between the picker pins of the revolving feed drum 34. The surplus tobacco on the feed drum 34 is removed by the pins on the revolving refuser drum 35, and returned to the tobacco mass T within the chamber 10. While both groups of tampers are raised from the feed drum the mass of the tobacco is freely admitted to the space between the refuser and feed drums, and then compressed on the latter by the descending group of tampers which also serve to prevent the tobacco from working up over the refuser drum.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette machine feed, the combination with a rotating carded feed drum, of a series of pivotally mounted tampers spaced along said drum, and means for oscillating alternate tampers in opposite directions to press a mass of tobacco on said feed drum and thereby induce a uniform density of the tobacco between the pins of said feed drum.

2. In a cigarette machine feed, the combination with a rotating carded feed drum, of a series of pivotally mounted tampers spaced along said drum, and means for oscillating alternate tampers in opposite directions to press a mass of tobacco on said feed drum and thereby induce a uniform density of the tobacco between the pins of said feed drum, said means including an oscillating shaft, a sleeve fixed on said shaft, and chain sections connecting said sleeve and tampers, alternate chain sections being secured to one side of said sleeve and the remaining chain sections being secured to the other side of said sleeve.

3. In a cigarette machine feed, the combination with a carded feed drum, of a refuser drum cooperating with said feed drum to form a sheet of tobacco on said feed drum from a mass of tobacco thereon, a series of tampers pivoted behind said refuser drum and curved thereover, and means for oscillating alternate tampers in opposite directions to admit the mass of tobacco to the space between the feed and refuser drums and then press the tobacco on said feed drum and thereby induce a uniform density of the tobacco between the pins of said feed drum and prevent it from working up over said refuser drum.

GEORGE W. GWINN. 

